RUGBY

Owd Bert · 09-12-2003, 06:36

How dare they refer to the Rugby Team as Heroes.
Supreme sportsmen who happened to win a series of games I could understand -- but Heroes -- please someone explain.
A lot of my pals who I haven`t seen since WW2 were Heroes.

adi · 09-12-2003, 10:15

blimey Owd_Bert that's a sweeping statement.

obviously no-one would compare a sportsman to a soldier who served his country, but in my eyes the Rugby Team are heroes.

we are talking about a squad of 30 men, who have given their all (and then some) over the course of 4 years (not just a tournament) to become the best in the world.

simply put,  30 men from our homeland are the best in the world. They had a tremendous amount of pressure and a high degree of flak from the worlds media but remained focus on their aim and goal of winning the world cup.

And they are the ONLY team in our nations history to win a Major World Cup on foreign soil.

They get my vote as heroes.

Tealeaf · 09-12-2003, 12:01

I agree with Bert on this one.

We cannot take anything away from the England team - they have done us proud and they are Champions in what is a hard & pretty brutal game. But that is just what it is - a game. If you can't take the knocks, then you can always walk off the field, feign injury or lose form.

So Champions, Yes. Titleholders, Yes. Victors, Yes. But Heros - No. Let us not belittle or trivialise that word. It means something very, very special.

adi · 10-12-2003, 12:50

Very true Tealeaf - but our England Team has brought the nation together, inspired thousands of us and given then entire nation a very timely lift.

Lets remember that we are talking about the achievements of just 30 men and the impact they have had both nationally and internationally, i personally believe that they deserve to be called heroes.

jrenshaw · 10-12-2003, 13:06

personally I am not sure the nation is quite a excited as is made out. After all it's hardly the most popular sport in the UK. I bet at least half of the people in London on Monday would struggle to name 5 or 6 of teh 30 men who took part for England. Heroes they are not, succesful yes, but no moer so than the english team that just one the world elephant polo championships. We are also world champions at tiddly winks are they also heroes? I think not.

adi · 11-12-2003, 12:13

I agree with you on the point that the majority of people wouldnt be able to name more the six of the squad but i did write that this was the ONLY English Team to WIN a MAJOR World Cup on Foreign soil.

No disrespect to the players of Elephant Polo or Tiddly Winks but they are hardly world renowned sports.

The Rugby Team still get my shout as heroes.

Tealeaf · 11-12-2003, 13:25

Adi
'Owd Bert's case -  and mine also -  is not about how well the team performed, or how popular the game of Rugby is - it is about the misuse of language. To call those sportsmen "heroes", - whose achievment is simply to win at their chosen game -  is at best,  to corrupt the English Language and at worst is an insult to those who pay, or have paid, or risk paying, the ultimate price. Those are heroes.

janet · 11-12-2003, 14:24

Have to agree with you there tealeaf.They are only playing a game after all.It is good that the boys did the nation proud,but to call them hereo's is an over statement.

Mik Dickinson · 08-01-2004, 14:43

When all said and done i have to back Tealeaf on this one.What the rugby Team did was a real achievement but when all said and done it is a travesty on the word Heroes.
As a hero i understand somebody risking life and limb with no care as to their own personal safety and sport does not come under that category in my eyes

Lesley · 08-01-2004, 19:13

I don't think anyone in their right minds would confuse the word 'hero' used for sporting teams with what we mean by the same for those who fought for our country. There is no comparison, the rugby team are 'sporting heroes' and the soldiers 'war heroes'